1. The Field of the Invention
The invention relates to air containment systems for computer server racks. In particular the invention relates to a containment roof for computer server racks.
2. The Relevant Technology
Many companies have data centers either for the company's use or for selling data services to others. Frequently many computers are pooled into clusters and placed in many racks. These racks may be placed in rows within the data center. The electronic equipment in the data centers includes servers, computers, routers and the like. They may also include backup servers, which can take over the function of primary servers in the event of a primary server failure. They are typically co-located with the network switches and/or routers which enable communication between the different parts of the cluster and the users of the cluster. The computers, routers, power supplies, and related electronics are typically mounted on 19-inch racks in a server room or data center.
All computer equipment produces heat when it is in operation. For this purpose, a fan is typically installed in the computer. The fan draws cooler air from the environment over the heated internal parts. Heated air is exhausted back into the environment. In large data centers, the heat from many computers results in significant heating of the data center environment. Many large air conditioning units are used to cool the data center environment.
To reduce the cost of cooling data centers, the computer racks can be arranged in rows with the equipment in adjoining rows. The computers in the racks are situated so that hot and cool aisles are created. In the hot aisle the fans on the equipment in adjoining rows exhausts the heated air form the equipment. In the cool aisle, conditioned air is draw into and cools the equipment.
Containment devices such as doors, roofs, as well as vertical curtains are used to contain the conditioned air within the cool row. In this way the heated air and conditioned air do not mix, thereby maximizing the cooling effect on the equipment while keeping the costs of cooling down.
Most fire codes and best practices require that at least the roofs of the containment systems be configured to allow fire suppression systems to spray within the contained aisle in the event of fire.
Most of the roofs of available containment systems use a series of panels that separate when a fire is detected. These panels may drop to the floor potentially striking persons in the data center or a firefighter with debris. Further the fallen panels create a tripping hazard as persons attempt to leave the building and as firefighters attempt to clear the building and/or suppress the fire.